2021 09 11

Dear Friends,

I have been reflecting on the Ecclesiastics reading (3:1-8) “To everything there is a season”.  Depending on your age, you may remember it better as a song on the radio.  It marks the changes in life and seasons.  In recent weeks we have seen endings as beloved long terms members of our congregation have died and we have seen new beginnings with weddings.  As our vaccination rates increase, we hope the season of the pandemic will come to an end.

We have been reminded of the turning of the seasons as we have experienced our first few cool days, our church has returned to 11am and our children and grandchildren have returned to school.  After postponing my sabbatical leave last year, I, too, shall be returning to school.  My sabbatical leave will be from September 13 to December 13 while I take classes from AST towards a MA in Theology and Religious Studies.

During the time of my Sabbatical, the Reverend Wendy Kean will be here as half-time supply which means she will be offering worship services and funeral, hospital visits, palliative care and bereavement support.

For the last 18 months, our lives have been marked by the Pandemic.  We have gone through prolonged periods of separation from friends and family.  We have been the Church in different ways but if you are like me, you have longed for the chance to be in community again.  The Unified Board has been discussing our road back to the “new normal”.  We will continue to be guided by Public Health guidelines but we are progressing to more activities in the church building.

We have resumed fellowship time after church in the building, though without food or drink.  We shall remain masked to protect the vulnerable amongst us, including our children, who are unable to be vaccinated.

During the Fellowship of September 12, I shall be talking about my plans for a sabbatical while the next Sunday’s fellowship will allow you a special opportunity to meet Wendy.  Plans are underway to resume Sunday School, but following guidelines of Region 15 it will not resume until at least two weeks after the start of school.  Blair has already begun the think about the next massive book sale.

We realize everyone will not be comfortable returning to Church, so we shall continue to offer our services online.  However, we encourage you to remain in contact with your Church family, whether by phone or Zoom or perhaps joining some small group activity like Walk with Grace.

I want to thank you for all the support you have given me and other staff members during this unprecedent 18 months.  Although a season in the wilderness has been an important part of the Christian journey, I hope that by the end of my Sabbatical that the Pandemic season will be at an end and we shall be able to gather together again.

Yours in Christ’s Service,

Rev. Stephen Fram